If you thought Kiani was dead, you’re mistaken. The fan-favorite character from the comic Fathom has a new life in the spinoff series Kiani: Fathom. Vince Hernandez, who is both the writer of Kiani: Fathom and the Editor-in-Chief of Aspen Comics, spoke to MTV Geek about the project. And don’t forget to check out Kiani’s action when the comic is released this March!

MTV Geek: You’re both an editor-in-chief and writer. What is it like to work on both sides of the comic book making process? Is it hard to switch over from one to the other?

Vince Hernandez: It’s great! But, it can have its challenges at times. Probably the trickiest thing is finding the discipline to write around a full-time job, but I think I tend to manage the two tasks well. Although, the benefits far outweigh any difficulties, because as an editor you’re exposed to every facet of the creation of a comic book, whereas, if I was only doing the writing I would only have that experience to draw upon. I’ve been blessed to be able to learn all of these elements and apply them to my own stories.

Geek: What makes the character of Kiani such a fan-favorite?

VH: I think it’s a combination of a few things: when she first appeared in the pages of the Aspen Extended Edition and the Fathom: Dawn of War mini-series, she was a nice antithesis to Fathom’s main heroine, Aspen Matthews. While Aspen is a representation of this mixed race of underwater beings known as the Blue and the Human Race, Kiani is a full-blooded member of the race of the Blue, so their motivations have always run in contrast to each other. Also, I believe fans have been able to identify with Kiani’s struggles with her identity and the fact that in her heart she believes she is doing right by her people. Also, she kicks a lot of butt with a sword, which is always a plus.

Geek: What can we expect in this new volume of Kiani?

VH: New readers can expect to be introduced to a more powerful, more electrifying version of Kiani while also learning along the way about what she’s been through under the surface. Returning Fathom fans will see the most recent developments between the Humans and the Blue really reach a climax under the surface, with war and bloodshed involved, and Kiani returning smack dab in the middle of all of this conflict. It will make for one intense adventure that will reshape a few things in the Fathom universe.

Geek: What is it like carrying on the legacy of your friend and colleague Michael Turner?

VH: It’s one of the best feelings in the world. To know what this world and these characters meant to him, and to be able to usher forward a new path for them is a gift I will always treasure. It makes the work all the more important to me.

Geek: What other exciting projects does Aspen have lined up for 2012?

VH: We have a bunch of exciting projects coming up which should make 2012 one of our biggest years yet. We have new titles such as Greg Pak and Tony Parker’s Dead Man’s Run, which is a prison break from hell action adventure that I can’t recommend enough. Aspen will also be diving into the superhero arena with a new series called Idolized by David Schwartz and Micah Gunnell that focuses on one girl’s participation in a superhero reality show in order to join the world’s most elite superhero group, only her dreams are based more on revenge than any heroic aspirations. I think Aspen fans will really enjoy our take on the genre. We also have our first ongoing series in Aspen’s history, Executive Assistant: Assassins, starting this summer spawning from the pages of our popular series Executive Assistant: Iris. And we have many books returning and continuing such as the fan-favorite series Shrugged, which is returning with a second volume by creator Frank Mastromauro, Lady Mechanika by Joe Benitez, Broken Pieces by Mark Roslan, Haunted City by Chap Taylor, Peter Johnson and Michael Ryan and more.

We’re also excited because we have a huge summer event planned for one of our premiere series, Soulfire, called “Search for the Light”, which will be five consecutive Soulfire one shot issues featuring a “Master,” which is a powerful magical bearer of light in the Soulfire universe. Each issue will have a different team of writers and artists, and they will all be released over the summer leading up to the release of the next volume of Soulfire, volume four.

So, we can’t wait for fans to see all of the stuff we have planned for them this year. I think they’ll be happy!